1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to iron oxyhydroxides and methods of synthesizing the iron oxyhydroxides. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to highly ordered iron oxyhydroxides and methods of synthesizing the iron oxyhydroxides.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various researches on iron oxyhydroxide nano-particles have been conducted. Particularly, various attempts for employing akaganeite which is one of the iron oxyhydrorxides as a catalyst or an absorbent in nano-technical applications have been made, because a tunnel-type nanoporous structure of the akaganeite has unique absorption properties, ion exchange properties, and catalytic properties.
However, due to its low structural ordering and stability, the akaganeite is easily transformed to the more stable form, α-Fe2O3 (hematite) by dehydration or dehydroxylation. Thus, the akaganeite has been of great research interest as a means of preparing uniform nanocrystalline hematite particles (α-Fe2O3) rather than as the catalyst or the absorbent in industrial applications. In order to use the akaganeite as a unique catalyst for some specified nano-technical applications, it is therefore required to improve the structural ordering and stability of the akaganeite.